CopV ■ 



THE EGG 
QUESTION 
SOLVED 




B V 



T. F. McGREW 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 



COPYRIGHT OFFICE. 



No registration of title of this book 
as a preliminary to copyright protec- 
tion has been found. 

Forwarded to Order Division -*&^^^-'_?^^.:^^j^ 

(Apr. o, 1901-5,000.) ^'^^^ 




The Egg 
Question Solved 



By T. F. McGREW 



COPYRIGHT, 1904 

By GEO. E. HOWARD 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 






LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CODies Received 

MAH !2 1909 

Copyrltrnt Entry 

CUSS XXc. No. 

COPY 9. 






THE EGG QUESTION SOLVED 



Fresh-Laid Eggs, Their Value and the Appliances 
Necessary to Gain the Profitable Egg Yield 



At the present time no marketable article has equal 
demand with fresh-laid eggs in winter. If people could 
depend upon, the quality, this same demand would con- 
tinue throughout the entire year ; and this might be if 
the freshness of the eggs could be guaranteed. But to 
open an Ggg of a hot summer morning and find it .bad 
in quality would destroy the temper of a saint, and rob 
the most sturdy of his desire to eat. If all eggs could 
be stamped with the actual date of production, then 
fresh-laid eggs would double in value, while the others 
would be of but little worth. As it is, we must depend 
upon the word of the dealer, who is too often misled 
by those who furnish him with questionable products. 
Only the shell of the egg is between the producer and 
his honor ; and if you can avoid it never allow the 
breaking of this shell to cast discredit upon the business. 

Egg Producers 



The question is continually being pressed as to which 
breed or variety is most profitable as egg producers. 
All who contemplate keeping hens for winter egg pro- 
duction seek this information. Those who have egg 
farms contend for their own selection : but the fact is, 
it is the best management of hens that secures the best 
results as egg producers. One poultryman keeps Buff 
Cochin fowls for producing winter eggs and succeeds 
admirably with them ; and others who keep both Leg- 
horns and \\'yandottes get no eggs at all in winter. 



The Egg Question Solved 



Beyond all question, the best producing hens are those 
that are the best managed for the purpose intended. 
Fresh-laid eggs in winter are quite as unnatural a 
product as is the hothouse vegetable, and quite as dif- 
ficult to have. 

The Best Hens to Have 



For winter layers select one-year-old hens and early- 
hatched pullets. If possible, keep the hens in flocks by 
themselves, and the pullets by themselves. Pullets that 
are hatched later than June first are not likely to be 
profitable as winter layers. We have known Leghorns 
to be hatched as late as the twentieth of June, and begin 
to lay regularly by the end of November — but this is an 
exception, not the rule. Well-kept, one-year-old hens 
can be made to lay quite as well as the pullets. Hens 
that are more than two years old do not lay as well 
and are seldom if ever profitable to keep as Qgg pro- 
ducers. 

If eggs that have white shells are desired, select some 
one of the Mediterranean varieties. Some one of the 
American breeds or varieties will give the eggs with 
brown shells. As to the cost of keeping them, it is 
doubtful if it will exceed ten cents per head per year 
difference in any of them. The cost of sustaining a 
hen for a year averages from seventy cents to one dollar 
and fifty cents. This is governed by location and cost 
of food. In the West, where food is lower in price than 
elsewhere, of course, it costs less to sustain them ; while 
in New England the cost of feeding will come close to 
the higher figure named above. At the same time, the 
salable product of the hen is higher in price at all times 
in the eastern part of the country than in the western.. 




1. Milk Pan for Young Chicks. 2. Feed Box. 3. Water Box. 4. Feed Box. 
g. Feed Box. 6. Self-feeding Boxes. 7. Duck Feeder. 



The Egg Question Solved 



The request has been made to name the breed or variety 
most profitable as egg producers. This is practically 
impossible ; for the fact is, having fresh-laid eggs in 
winter must be credited three-fourths to those who care 
for the hens — the other fourth to the hens. 

When equally good management is bestowed on all 
kinds of fowls for egg producing only, the Leghorn hen 
will produce the largest number of eggs at the least cost 
per dozen. But it must be remembered that at the same 
time her carcass as market poultry has the least value. 
For general purpose fowls, the American breeds go to 
the front. In classing them, the Mediterranean fowls 
would be called the Qgg producers, the American breeds 
the general purpose, and the Asiatics the meat-producing 
fowls. All of these have valuable positions in poultry 
life, and neither can supplant the other in its particular 
line ; nor could the best results come from poultry keep- 
ing without them all. 

To Make Hens Lay 

The fact is, to have any number of fresh-laid eggs in 
the winter, the hens must be actually compelled to lay 
them — for they will not lay them ordinarily. It is not 
natural for them to lay in winter simply because condi- 
tions are not conducive to a full e^g yield. There are 
several reasons for this the most apparent of which is 
declining or dying Nature, which deprives the hen of 
seeds, green foods, insect life, and the natural warmth 
of summer ; for all of which substitutes must be sup- 
plied that will not only take their place but so invigorate 
the hen as to overcome the natural influences. 

These being the conditions that govern, some set rule 
that will make the egg production not only possible but 
a forced condition with the hen must be followed. By 



The Egg Question Solved 



so feeding", the one managing the hen can make it 
practicaUy impossible for her not to lay in response to 
the treatment given. To do this is simple, if followed 
to the letter — yet it is quite as easy to fail. The whole 
process must be applied, for if any part is neglected the 
result will not be profitable. Like the works of a 
watch, if one wheel is missing nothing goes right. If 
proper attention, however, is paid to all the simple details 
good results will follow. 

Proper Housing Necessary- 



It is absolutely necessary to have comfortable quarters 
for hens that are expected to give a winter egg yield. 
Their houses must be as dry and warm as it is possible 
to have them in winter. Absolute freedom from damp- 
ness is of vital importance. When building, it is well 
to bear this in mind and have an eye to this important 
feature, and equally important is proper ventilation. Do 
not get the erroneous idea that fresh air should be 
kept out of the henhouse. Let it come into the houses 
at all times, except when it is so cold as to freeze their 
combs and wattles ; and when cold enough for that the 
houses should be closed as tightly as possible. But when 
the temperature is not below 25 degrees the windows 
should be opened so as to let in plenty of air ; but avoid 
draughts. At night close the windows. This free cir- 
culation of air prevents dampness. 

When it rains or snows, or when the wind blows, have 
muslin screens to put into the open windows to prevent 
these disturbing elements from coming into the houses. 
Through these screens the air will get in and thus benefit 
the flock. Wlien building houses for the hens it is well 
to have a loft overhead that may be filled with straw, 



The Egg Question Solved 



and the dampness from within will pass through the 
openings that should be left in the floor of this loft and 
into the straw, which will absorb the moisture and thus 
dry the air. Small doors should be provided in each 
end of the house above the straw level — these to be 
opened when the weather is moderate so that a circula- 
tion of air will dry the straw and prepare it for gathering 
more moisture when the house is closed. 

When the ground about the houses is damp elevate 
the houses and dig dry wells under the floors down into 
gravel or sand under-soil — deep enough to have under 
drainage. Fill these dry wells with stone, and over this 
gravel and sand. Build either a stone, brick or log 
foundation under the house so as to fill in a foot or more 
above the level of the ground, and thus turn the damp 
and wet away from the house. If this method is fol- 
lowed dry dirt floors may be maintained, otherwise the 
floors would be quite damp. Cement floors, when 
properly constructed are even better than the dirt floors. 

Cement Floors 



The building or laying of cement floors demands care 
in construction. Dig out the ground four feet deep, and 
have the excavation, at least three feet wider and longer 
than your building will be. Fill in with broken stone, 
old brick and coarse gravel to within eighteen inches of 
the top. On this put six inches of dry soil or sand — 
packed as closely as possible — and cover with six inches 
of coal cinders, moisten and pack firmly and closely with 
a setting mall or tamper. On top of this put six inches 
of stone concrete, to be made of three barrels of sand, six 
barrels of broken stone, and one barrel of Portland 
cement, which pack as closely as possible with the 

8 






==^ ^^ 








^_. 


~ 




^ 


i?^^ 


^, 






^ 


;^ 


-— 



^^ — 6 



Q ^ 




5 



u 



IP' 




1 Box Nest 2. Corner Nests. 3. Covered Nests. 4. Hatching Nests. 
5. Nest for Turkey Hens. 6. Nest Boxes. 7. Sheltered Nests. 8. Sheltered 
Nests ^End View). 



The Egg Question Solved 



tamper. This will bring the cement to the surface, which 
is to be smoothed over nicely with the bottom of a shovel, 
so as to have it nice and level for the floor when dry. 
This will make a splendid cement floor which is cheap 
and lasting. By having this somewhat longer and wider 
than the house is or wall be, you can set the house on 
the cement and insure against both moisture and vermin. 

Dirt or Sand Floors 

No matter whether you have board, cement, or ground 
floors to your henhouses, they should be covered during 
the winter months with six or eight inches of dry soil 
or sand, which provides dry earth for the hens to dig 
in. Over this should go a covering of dry straw for 
the hens to dig amongst for food and exercise — both of 
which are of vital importance — the food for sustenance 
and the hunting and digging to invigorate the hen and 
induce a profitable egg yield. As previously stated, the 
larger portion of the egg yield in winter may be credited 
to proper care ; and quite a considerable part of this care 
consists in keeping the hens busy, contented and out of 
mischief. When busy and contented they will not acquire 
such bad habits as egg eating and feather pulling — both 
of which should be classed as idle habits, and neither of 
which will they acquire when kept constantly employed. 




GENERAL MANAGEMENT 



How to Select and Grade for Best Results 



To Succeed with Poultry.— There are but two barriers 
to success in pouhry raising. One of these is lack of 
knowledge regarding poultry, and the other carelessness 
or an utter disregard as to the few absolute necessities 
requisite for success. 

If it were possible to have the entire farming com- 
munity pay even reasonable attention to poultry raising 
there would be an aUnost inexhaustible food supply of 
the very best character within the reach of all, and the 
cost of production would be so reduced as to return a far 
greater profit than can possibly be made from any other 
live stock. To this should be added the proposition of 
selling the products of poultry when most profitable to 
do so. It is the custom to hold and grow to maturity the 
greater part of all the chicks hatched, when many of 
them should be sold at the broiler size— at which age 
quite as much may be realized per head as is usually 
obtained for full-grown stock. If the. rule of feeding 
that will prepare the young stock for the spit at one 
pound or over in weight be followed it would be fit for 
market at all times— and well-flavored broilers bring the 
best price of all kinds of poultry, if ready to sell early 
in the season. The early broiler is the most valuable of 
all poultry prior to June first, provided it is plump and 
well flavored. 

It is never too early to prepare for the next breeding 
season. The selection of the best hens for breeding 
stock should always be borne in mind, and the sooner 
hens of poor quality are discarded from the flock the 



The Egg Question Solved 



better progress will be made. Consider one point for or 
against the improvement of the* ^gg yield in the pullets 
raisec*! next season. If no consideration is given to 
selecting the hens that are to produce these pullets more 
than likely the greater part of the eggs used for hatching 
will be from hens that have failed to lay all winter. 
Such hens are most likely to begin laying about the time 
for hatching our spring chicks. If no forethought is 
used in this direction, we are quite apt to go on growing 
a lot of hens that have no hereditary tendency for winter 
laying. 

To Have Winter Layers. — If winter layers of the best 
quality are desired for the mothers of such pullets, hens 
that have proved themselves prolific layers both as pullets 
and as hens must be selected. The use of hens for this 
purpose is advised because the most vigorous chicks will 
come from well-matured hens possessing constitutional 
vigor. Know the very best laying pullets of the flock, 
and band them for future use. Of these, all that do wxU 
as hens and continue to lay well should be set apart to 
produce the pullets of the coming season. Of all these 
hens the very best should be selected to produce the early 
cockerels which should be raised for breeders another 
year. This care in selecting is based upon the egg yield 
alone and their producing pullets that will be prolific 
layers. 

When high quality exhibition stock is the aim, then 
select as breeding hens those that combine proper size, 
shape and exhibition qualities. Have all these require- 
ments in the highest degree. Size, shape, and exhibi- 
tion quality should govern absolutely their selection. 
They may not lay an egg during the entire winter ; but 
if so, they will maintain their ability for the produc- 
tion of eggs for hatching in the spring. A few eggs 



12 



The Egg Question Solved 



from such hens have more vahie during the hatching 
season than have a hundred laid by them and sold in 
market. This distinction is a guide in the selection of 
hens for the purpose desired. When it is intended to 
grow pullets for egg producers, select the prolific egg- 
producers to lay the eggs from which to hatch them 
and it is equally important when it is purposed to grow 
exhibition stock of quality, to select the very best exhi- 
bition hens to produce them. 

As the winter goes on, select from the flock the hens 
that will meet the demand for producing that which is 
wanted, whether for egg-producers or exhibition. Se- 
lect the hens that are to be used for breeders, pen them 
alone or with the males to go with them, and feed them 
rather sparingly, so as to keep them in good condition 
without stimulating for egg-production. The fewer 
eggs these hens lay until they are wanted for hatching, 
the more vitality will they have to impart to the eggs 
that are to produce the chicks. The best layers having 
been selected when pullets, are marked with leg-bands. 
All that is necessary to know is that the best of them 
continue to lay well as hens ; then select and pen them 
separately, and allow them to rest without being fed for 
a large egg yield. 

To Grow Standard-Bred Stock. — The high quality 
exhibition hens being selected for their quality alone, it 
is only necessary to pen them alone and away from other 
hens, and allow with them only males of their own kind 
and of equal quality. All those selected for breeding 
should be made rugged by having free access to the open 
air either in open scratching-sheds, runways, or }ards. 
They should have plenty of exercise, and be so fed as 'to 
keep them in good, moderate condition — neither fat" nor 
lean — but in fairly good condition all the time, so that 

13 



The Egg Question Solved 



when the eggs are wanted for hatching, it will be neces- 
sary only to feed for eggs to have them. By paying at- 
tention to this line of selecting you are laying the foun- 
dation for success in hatching when the time comes for 
this work. 

The more care given the laying stock, to keep it warm 
and sheltered from the storms, the better will be the win- 
ter egg yield. For breeding stock, the very opposite is 
the best. Make them strong and vigorous from a rea- 
sonable amount of exposure. Allow them to go out at 
all times — unless snow or rain is falling, then confine 
them to the henhouses and covered sheds. House them 
comfortably at night ; and never allow the frost or cold 
to cut their combs or wattles. 

Well Considered Plans. — Planning ahead if properly 
done is of great value in the future. It is impossible 
to begin too early to plan for the morrow. It is well 
to begin in the fall and get ready for spring Plan 
ahead. Keep your work ahead, and never get behind. 
That is the way to succeed in keeping fowls. Alako all 
preparations to begin • spring hatching in i\ larch and 
April. Do not delay until then to get ready. Get ready 
in time so as to have the chicks hatched during the last 
of March and all through April, and have plenty of early 
hatched pullets for the coming winter. The early hatch- 
ed chicks outgrow, outlay, -and outweigh any and all 
later hatched chicks. 

Chicks that are hatched after June lo, seldom, if ever, 
are of much value for winter layers or for exhibition 
stock. Fall is here before they are fully matured, which 
retards their growth ; and but few of the late hatched 
pivllets will lay before March or April. Plan against 
having the late hatched chicks, and avoid the necessity 
of having them by hatching all you will need prior to the 

14 



The Egg Question Solved 



coming of June. Make ready for having a full comple- 
ment of young chicks. Get them all out early, prior to 
June first, if possible. Have more than ever before ; and 
learn to cull them closely as soon as they are large 
enough to show undesirable qualities. Grow them fast, 
feed them strong, so as to have them in the finest broiler 
condition, from a pound to a pound and a quarter. Sell 
all the undesirable ones at this size for broilers, and make 
room for those of better quality. 

If all these points are considered and plans in ad- 
vance are taken to carry them out, a long step forward 
toward better results the coming breeding season will, be 
made. All of this may be readily carried out with but 
little additional trouble. In fact, it takes almost as much 
time to tell of it as it would to put it into operation. 
Planning the work and a knowledge of the fowls are 
the most important factors. The actual labor of select- 
ing, mating, and caring for the breeding stock until it 
is time to begin hatching is the most trifling part of all. 
What is most needed is careful attention to the stock so 
as to have it in the best condition for future work. 



^ 
•^^ 



15 




HALL 



HATCHING 
OR 
FEED ROOM 



SCRATCH/NG 
ROOSTS 





1,1, II 1 \ 

'I'll ' '„ ii 


milLi, :u 


1 11, 1 'ii " 




^— ' ' 





1. Traniparent View of Combination House. 2. Ground Plan for Combi- 
nation House. 3. Combination House. 4. House for Laying Hens, 



CARE AND FEEDING 



Methods That Must Be Observed to Succeed 



The Value of Litter 



Next in value to proper feeding is the exercise that 
laying hens must have in winter. This exercise is an 
absolute necessity, and without it the hens will not be 
profitable as winter layers. Too much value can not be 
given to this. The natural exercise for the hen is scratch- 
ing and digging for her feed ; and means must be pro- 
vided to keep her hunting and scratching as much as 
possible for her food. It has been demonstrated how to 
prepare the floors and houses to have them dry and heal- 
thy, and the covering of the floors with dry soil or sand 
so as to have a good foundation for the litter, which will 
provide the exercise for the hens has been advised. 

Fresh, dry straw should be scattered over the floor so 
as to have a covering of it at least a foot deep. Do not 
be afraid of having it too deep — just so the hens can 
move it about when scratching for grain is the only 
limit. What is wanted is a deep covering over the dry 
sand or soil of the straw so that when small grains are 
thrown into it the hens will be kept busy all day hunt- 
ing, digging, and scratching for the grain. If the floors 
are perfectly dry the straw will last a long time. The 
dry earth or sand will provide a dust bath for the hens ; 
and the dust they raise in digging and hunting will settle 
all about and destroy the hen lice that come in contact 
with it. Lice can not live where there is a settling of very 
fine dust. When you go into the henhouse and hear the 
hens singing, and see them hunting and digging and a 
cloud of dust flying, you may feel assured that the floors 
2 17 



The Egg Question Solved 



are dry and the hens happy and contented, and in a fair 
way for a good egg production. 

How to Feed 



The feeding of laying hens in winter so as to force a 
profitable egg yield is almost an art. All may be success- 
ful if they will follow closely the rules of regularity, 
promptness, and care — regularity as to time, promptness 
in seeing every demand or change required, and care and 
judgment in providing for their wants. When the litter 
gets damp it is too heavy for the hens to scratch about. 
This should be removed, the floor nicely raked over and 
fresh straw provided. The grit box and water vessel 
should be constantly full ; the houses and dropping boards 
kept clean ; and the nests so located as to have them out 
of sight of the busy or idle hens, as it may be, so they will 
not be tempted to eat the eggs. "Out of sight, out of 
mind," applies to hens, as they may be tempted into bad 
habits, which should be avoided as much as possible. 

Every bit of grain food fed them should be scattered 
in the litter. Not one bit of it should go into troughs or 
on the bare ground floor. This way of feeding compels 
them to hunt and dig for the grain or else go hungry ; 
and the exercise they get from this continual scratching 
for grain invigorates their systems, warms their blood, 
and induces an active egg production. For these reasons, 
how to feed and where to throw or scatter the grain are 
of much importance. 

When to Feed 



During the winter months hens should have their first 

th 

i8 



or morning meal as early in the day as they can see to eat 



The Egg Question Solved 



it. This should be of grain scattered in the htter the 
night before, after the hens have gone to roost ; or if the 
morning is selected, the grain should be scattered for 
them by daylight, so they can begin to hunt and dig as 
soon as they come down from the roost. This will start 
the blood flowing and thus warm up the whole system. 
An hour or two later the water vessels may be filled — not 
with ice cold water, but with water a little warm. Hot 
water or feed is quite as bad as ice water, either or both 
of which create an unnatural condition which has its bad 
effect. 

At noon they should be fed, again toward evening 
more grain should be scattered in the litter, and the 
last task for the day should be to close up the houses, 
and remove all water from the drinking vessels so they 
will not freeze. At noon feed the mash. Give them a 
fairly full feed of this. Noon is selected as the best time 
for the mash feed because it is an opportune time for 
the hens to rest, dig in the soil or sand, or bask in the 
sun — which they are more likely to do after a full feed 
of mash from the box or trough. 

How Much to Feed 



The average daily ration for a hen is about four 
ounces of all kinds of feed. Some will eat more, others 
less ; but they should always have enough. And the only 
way to be sure of this is to study the demands of your 
flock, and meet these demands. Feed them enough, but 
not too much. Hens may be taught to run for food 
every time they see you, and at the same time be over- 
•fed. This is habit, not hunger. For the evening meal 
they should have about two and one-half ounces of grain 
on an average. The amounts given are the best guides, 

19 



The Egg Question Solved 



but they are not absolute. Fowls will need more food 
on a very cold night than when it is warmer. Fowls in 
a close, warm house will consume less than will those in 
colder or more exposed quarters. All of these facts must 
be considered when deciding- the question of quantity. 
With the above as your guide, and a lot of good com- 
mon sense mixed in with care and judgment, you should 
be able to apportion the proper amount for each lot of 
hens. 

What to Feed 



The natural ration for the laying hen is seeds, grain, 
grass, and bugs or small insect life. From this, as she 
has it in the early spring and summer, she makes more 
eggs, finer appearing and larger eggs than she will in 
winter. This is because the insects, worms, and grasses 
furnish what might be called living foods for her use ; 
and in these she has a plentiful supply of the most bene- 
ficial protein, which forms or provides the delicate al- 
bumen of the egg. Protein she must have or she can 
not complete the egg. So keep in mind at all times this 
demand of nature, which must be* supplied continually 
or the egg supply will be scant. 

To have a full egg supply in winter, the hen must, 
first of all, be provided with food to sustain her sys- 
tem throughout and to keep her warm ; and the proper 
amount of the food must be assimilated through the 
system prior to her turning any of it into the yolk, 
white or albumen, the thinner lining of the shell or the 
shell of the egg itself. That there may be a full and 
equally distributed food supply which will provide ioY 
all these needs we mention the balanced ration. This 
means a food supply which will furnish just the proper 



The Egg Question Solved 



amount of protein, carbohydrates, and other material 
necessary for all demands. If it were not that the same 
ration will not meet the demands of all fowls, this would 
be an easy task ; but the fact is, scarcely any two demand 
identically the same ration at the same time. So we 
must do our best to approximate their several needs or 
demands by furnishing enough of each and all material 
required for the purpose desired. 

Wheat, corn, meat, and clover hay may be so appor- 
tioned out to the hens as to form a splendid winter ra- 
tion. To do this more meat must be fed when the corn 
dominates the ration than when more wheat is fed. Corn 
furnishes an excess of fat and but little protein, and 
lean meat will make up for this if fed with the corn. 
So we must consider all of our foods, and in using them 
for hens see to it that they do not have too much heat- 
ing and fattening food when eggs are hoped for. If 
wanted for market then feed to develop plumpness and 
fat ; if eggs are wanted feed for eggs. 

The best mixture of grain for egg producing in winter 
is wheat, hulled oats, cracked corn, barley, and millet- 
seed. Of this mixture one-half should be wheat and 
hulled oats, and the other half equal quantity of cracked 
corn, barley and millet-seed. Wheat and oats make a 
fairly good egg producing ration alone. We say ''hulled 
oats" because the hull of the oat is of no value as a 
food : in fact, it is injurious. Cracked corn is better than 
whole corn because it takes the hens longer to find it 
when thrown in the litter. The millet-Beed is of value 
because the hens will dig and hunt for these bright little 
seeds and thereby obtain healthful exercise. A little 
buckwheat is good ; so is any kind of grain that they will 
eat with the exception of rye. Don't feed rye to hens. 
They do not care for it, and it is not good for them. 

21 



The Egg Question Solved 



Any grain or food which they will eat is beneficial to 
them if it will provide the proper elements to manu- 
facture the eggs. 

The Morning Meal 



That you may have full directions for feeding for eggs 
in winter we will begin with the morning routine just 
as it is followed by those who succeed. First, presum- 
ing that you have studied all we have written on the 
producing of eggs, as to floors, foods, litter, and care, 
we shall go to work to gain from our hens the best possi- 
ble Ggg yield that we can have as the result of proper 
feeding. Cut into two even pieces a basket full of man- 
gels ; have just what experience teaches you that the hens 
will eat out of the shell that day, so none will be left to 
freeze at night. This is a splendid green food for the 
hens, and they should have some every morning. With 
these take your basket of mixed grain, made of one- 
fourth wheat, one-fourth hulled oats, one-fifth cracked 
corn, the balance barley and millet-seed, and scatter as 
much in the litter as the hens will clean up nicely before 
noon. Feed all their grain by scattering it in the litter 
for them to scratch for. The feeding of mangels is not 
absolutely necessary, but they are a splendid vegetable 
diet for the hens, contain considerable water, and do not 
taint the eggs as will too much cabbage, turnips or 
onions. Where mangels can not be fed provide some 
kind of green food in their place. Do not hang up cab- 
bage on a string and make them jump to get it: this 
jars them to no advantage. If you hang the cabbage up 
for them, hang it within their reach. Too much cab- 
bage, turnip or onion will taint the eggs the same as it 
will the milk of cows fed on them. Plentv of clover or 




1. House and Open Shed. 2. Summer House for Bantams. 3. Open Shed 
House for the S^uth. 4. Breeding House and Yards. 



The Egg Question Solved 



alfalfa leaves are a solendid substiUite in winter for 
green food. 

The Noonday Mash 



At noon give them a feed of mash or mixed food. 
Make this of equal parts by measure of ground oats, 
corn meal, wheat, bran and middlings in which mix some 
meat scraps — about one-fifth is not too much. Mix this 
with either boiling hot milk or water — milk is best. Do 
not feed it hot. Have it just a little warm and mixed 
into as dry a mash as possible — have it crumbly so it will 
break to pieces. Give them of this as much as they will 
clean up within ten minutes. At the same time give 
them some clover hay or alfalfa hay cut up small — when 
cut as small as possible in a cutting box this makes the 
finest of green food for winter ; and it can and should 
be thrown to them to dig and scratch about and eat all 
they want of it. 

The Evening Grain 



Toward evening give more grain feed. The even- 
ing feed should be two parts wheat and one part cracked 
corn. According to our ideas, whole corn should not be 
fed to laying hens. Cracked corn is much better be- 
cause it takes them so much longer to find the smaller 
pieces in the litter; and when corn is cracked or broken 
and the fine meal sifted out there is less of the fatten- 
ing substance left than in the whole corn. All the grain 
being fed in this way — in the litter — the hens will be 
kept busy a greater part of the time and thus prevent 
the possibility of their acquiring such bad habits as egg 
eating and feather pulling ; and as stated above, the ex- 
ercise invigorates them for an active egg production. 

24 



The Egg Question Solved 



And this is why we mention so often the absolute neces- 
sity for winter exercise, this hunting in the litter for 
small srrains. 



fe' 



The Dry Mash 



Nothing is better than the dry mash as a vehicle in 
which to feed cut green bone or meat of any kind. Mix 
equal parts by measure of wheat bran, ground oats, and 
cut green bone, or granulated meat scraps — mix it well 
so the meat and meal will be thoroughly mixed — and 
feed it dry to the hens in the feed troughs. This is a 
splendid food for alternate days wuth the wet mash. 
Hens to do their best at winter laying should have about 
one-fifth of their entire ration meat of some kind ; and 
this can be most equally distributed among the hens 
either in the wet or dry mash. The dry mash is good 
because they wall not eat it so fast, and all the particles 
of the meat or cut green bone will be preserved in the 
dry mash and easily apportioned to the hens. And the 
advantage gained in the time it takes to eat the dry 
mash is of benefit. 

Grit, Shell, and Vegetables 



Every henhouse should contain a divided box for 
grit, shell, and broken oharcoal. This box should be well 
supplied at all times so the hens may never want for grit 
to grind their food, the shell for forming the egg shell, 
and the charcoal to tone up the crop and gizzard and 
sweeten theni — just as a soda tablet aids the digestion 
of man. \>getables of all kinds are good for fowls. 
They are best when cooked and cut up finely and fed 
cither in the mash or drv. It is a waste to feed many 



The Egg Question Solved 



of them green in winter or at any time. Nothing is 
better for green feed than the cut clover or alfalfa hay. 
Give them plenty of this as it is by far better than to 
mix ground clover in their mash. Where clover or 
alfalfa hay is about the barn all waste or loose leaves 
of it should be gathered and fed to the hens. 

Water 



At all times the fowls should have plenty of water 
where they can help themselves. Warm, not hot water, 
is best for filling the drinking vessels in winter. These 
vessels should be emptied at night so they will not freeze ; 
and be filled in the morning with water that is warm 
enough to take the chill off the pan or fountain. If no 
water is given them until the sun is up it will be as well ; 
in fact, they are better off for an hour or so of a cold 
morning without water, for the cold chills them and 
thus retards the egg yield. 

Nest Boxes 



All nest boxes for laying hens should be up from the 
floor, and sheltered so the hens will not see the eggs in 
the nests while they are running about the floor of the 
henhouse or on the roosts. It is best to have the hen- 
houses so constructed that the hens may be shut in 
during the winter weather as they will do better when 
confined in well constructed houses than they will run- 
ning about in the wet or cold. 

Select and keep only well-bred stock, 

And train them to a profitable yield. 

Through proper housing, feeding, and care. 

Select and grade your breeding stock for better results. 
26 



The Egg Question Solved 



Only use for producers of laying stock the best laying 
hens, 

And mate them to males that are direct from your 
best laying hens. 

Feed your hens small grain in the litter, and make 
them scratch for it. 

Select their food with reference to its egg-producing 
qualities ; if eggs are wanted feed for them. 

Do not feed fattening foods when you desire an egg 
yield. Have a purpose in view and feed to maintain it. 

Follow the rules herein mentioned and you will suc- 
ceed. 



<-^ 
'W' 






27 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 




The World's Greatest Poulti_ 002 85 1 057 s 

THE FEATHER 

Published monthly for x»ver ten years in Washington, 
D. C It is the most attractive paper issued in the 
interest of poultry and pigeons. MOST BEAUTI- 
FULLY ILLUSTRATED. Send for sample copy and 
ihow it to your friends. 

ONLY FIFTY CENTS A YEAR 



THE FEATHER'S LIBRARY 

No. I. DISEASES OF POULTRY. By D. E. Sal- 
mon, D. V. M, Fully illustrated. Paper, 50 cents; cloth, 
$1.00. 

No. 2. THE FEATHER'S UP-TO-DATE POUL- 
TRY HOUSE. Paper, 25 cents. 

No. 3. THE AMERICAN FANCIER'S POUL- 
TRY BOOK. Profusely illustrated. By Geo. E. Howard. 
Paper bound, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00. 

No. 4. PLYMOUTH ROCKS, colored illustrations. 
By T. F. McGrew. Paper, so cents; cloth, $1.00. 

No. 5. WYANDOTTES. Colored illustrations. By 
T. F. McGrew. Paper, 50 cents; cloth, $i.oo. 

No. 6. POCKET MONEY POULTRY. By Myra 
V. Norys. Paper, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00. 

No. 7. THE EGG QUESTION SOLVED. By T. 
F. McGrew. Paper, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents. 

No. 8. HOW TO GROW CHICKS. By T. F. Mc- 
Grew. Paper, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents. 

No. 9. THE HOMING PIGEON. Illustrated. Pa- 
per, 25 cents; cloth, 50 cents. 

No. 10. THE FEATHER'S PRACTICAL 
PIGEON BOOK. By J. C Long. Paper, 50 cents; 
cloth, $1.00. 

No. II. MONEY IN SQUABS. Profusely illus- 
trated. By J. C. Long and G. H. Brinton. Paper, 50 
cents; cloth, $1.00. 

No. 12. THE FEATHER'S PRACTICAL SQUAB 
BOOK. By W. E. Rice. Paper, 50 cents; cloth, $1.00. 



THE HOWARD PUBLISHING CO. 

ri4 12th street Northwest Washing ton, D. C. 



